Uncle Dan's Lip-Smackin' Turkey or Chicken Recipe

Now I know folks like to deep-fry and smoke their birds, and these are good methods of cooking. I find, however, that many times the flavor of the bird gets lost in the seasonings of the injection, or the smoke. The following method of fixing a bird is wonderfully simple, and you can cook the bird in a conventional oven! No frier or smoker is needed.

Uncle Dan's Lip-Smackin' Chicken or Turkey Recipe
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The following recipe is yum-yum no matter how you cook your bird, as long as you don't burn it.

All you have to do is what I did:

I baught a tall kitchen garbage can (plastic) about 4 or 5 gallons for my turkey to soak in. I lined mine with a garbage bag to appease my wife who didn't like the thought of the bird being in the can.

Then I mixed 2/3 of a cup of Kosher salt per gallon of cold water along with about 1/2 cups of brown sugar per gallon of water, It took me 2 gallons all together.

I added about 2 Tablespoons of dried tyme, then I mixed it all up in my stock pot. I Stirred till I no longer felt or heard any granuals mixing.

I set my turkey (a little over 12 pounds) into the can, poured the brine solution over it, then set it (covered with a pizza pan) out side on my poarch overnight. It soaked for 12 hours. (a whole chicken would probably need only about 4 hours soaking to do the trick.

If it wasn't so cold outside, I would have added Ice to my can to keep the temp. low for the duration of the soaking process.

In the morning, I removed the bird from the can, then rinced it off under cold water. I patted it dry with a clean kitchen towel, then set it in a roasting pan.

I coated the outside of the bird with olive oil, then sprinkeled my favorite seasonings on it. I used garlic powder, onion powder, cajun seasoning, then I put 6 cloves of garlic and 1/2 of an onion into the birds cavity.

I covered the cooking vessle (the roasting pan) tightly with foil and inserted into a 350 degree oven to cook for 4 hours.
I removed the foil, then cooked for an additional 1/2 hour.

This turkey was the best turkey I've ever eaten. It was deliciously seasoned (inside) without being overbearing in any flavors.

If you want the best turkey ever, try my lip-smackin' recipe, then let me know what you thought by visiting my GUESTBOOK, or clicking the comment link below.

Thanks, and good cooking.,
Uncle Dan